Red
by purduepup
Summary: He is the hunter, heir to the Western Lands. Humans are his demon's prey; he kills them coldly in battle. But she's different: his foe is beautiful beyond words, smells angelic, and is the key to his demonic heart—his mate. Many hunts begin…and all for her.
1. Red Birth

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own the title _Red_—that belongs to various authors' youkai!Inuyasha fics—nor the idea of how to name chapters, which I got from Salome Sensei.

**A/N: **My reason for writing this is because I wanted Inuyasha to be a cold-blooded killer and write about his demon side; I also had a vision of him alone on a battlefield, killing off all these humans… It won't flow together like an easy story would, too; it'll have time and scene skips. The color of the chapters reveal whose POV it's from. Hope you enjoy!

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**SUMMARY:**

A war rages between the humans and demons—they live no longer in peace and compromise, but bloodbaths and death. Humans insist they're homicidal beings with no feelings and treacherous characteristics, demons thinking of _them_ as the murderous traitors. 250 years ago, the war had begun because of an affair between a demon lord and human princess—and his second yet half-demon heir was born. Outraged, the humans struck a worthless attack on the demon castle, thinking they were holding the princess hostage and keeping her as a slave. However, the youkai begged to differ, and battles raged on, now each species working hard to exterminate the other. Inuyasha, the half-demon born, is now the key to winning the war—with the right dose of venom, his youkai blood takes over and he goes on killing sprees; it's only him against a thousand humans in each battle. But one evening, as he fights in his full-demon form, one of the soldiers turns out to be a woman, and his youkai heart is immediately stolen. Meanwhile, his half-brother Sesshoumaru is killing off a human village when he comes across a girl he automatically takes a liking to and lets survive. It is said that the Inu no Taishou's castle in the Western Lands is the youkai species' only refuge, and his property is the safest place for demons out there as well. However, when the princes bring home human females, it will be proven that the castle is not safe for everyone—whether they be demon or human, there is someone in the castle eager to rid the world of more beings, and his top victims happen to be the royal family and those closest to them…

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This story is dedicated to nightfalcon222,  
who's amazing beyond words and  
will stay that way for the rest of eternity.

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_**RED**_

_**1: Red Birth**_

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He was a complete fiend, a savage beast hungry for the feel of blood on his claws and cries to massage his hearing. As his father's men warily released him from his restraint of a holy cage, now full-demon and all, the scent of apprehension was thick, even overcoming the odor of guts and death. The hanyou-turned-youkai charged into battle head-on, the only warrior fighting against hundreds of humans as the others stepped back, letting him do his work.

He was red.

It was in his vision, on his tongue, in his mind, on his nerves, clogging all senses from almost everything surrounding him—except a few things, though they weren't extremely pleasant, as his mother would say.

Violence. Shrieks. Tears. Organs.

_Blood._

He could smell it everywhere. It soaked the ground, coated the trees, dug into the creases of his hands, and fed the soil below, followed by screams that fell deaf to his inhuman ears. Like many times before, he'd somehow gathered the reason to acknowledge that yes, he was a killer. And he gained absolute hatred from others for admitting he _lived _for the game, the hunt between demon and human, man and monster—or, in his fully demonic eyes, the strong versus the weak, the predators against their prey.

He would win.

He was the predator; they were his prey.

He felt a man's insides when his arm impaled the soldier's torso, the rush of his plasma and pumps of his heart making the full-demon's arm throb. His muscles were constructed with swift roughness, his teeth gone numb from his jaw clenching too much. He smirked with sadistic pleasure at the man's pain, satisfying his bloodlust once the victim drooped before being aggressively tossed aside.

The process repeated; freeze in place, sense a presence, strike, shrug off, growl, smirk, laugh, and redo. Humans never learned from their mistakes, doing the same damned thing over and over again until their stupidity led to their demises and ate them away. Taking two fingers, he pierced one of the last dozen men's eyes, leaving the being half-blind as he cried out in agony. The animal of the field gave an amused tilt of the head before punching him messily, leaving the human to collapse to the ground with a void occupying his chest.

That was when saw it.

_It_ being a person.

_Her._

She, whose feminine form was adorned in weaponry of sorts. She, whose face was surrounded by wild raven hair. She, who smelt strongly of sakura and sweets. She, who was garbed in a human soldier's costume. She, whose sapphire eyes glazed over with each attack committed.

She, who stood in fear of the now full-demon in front of her.

She, who trembled in his wake.

She, whose blood taunted him so.

It was strange, coming across a woman on the battlefield. It was forbidden, actually; women were made for the house and childbearing, men for work and war. But seeing her there, scared and untamed, sent pleasant shivers down his spine, widened his menacing smirk, made his blood curdle in the most gratifying of ways as his mind drifted from the blood to her tantalizing scent. He was surmounted with immediate lust upon seeing her frightened figure and for a moment, all thoughts revolved around _her._

She, who was now his.

_Mine._

His arm plunged into that of what used to be a man's head who'd been running towards him, spear in hand. She let out a strangled gasp. He flicked the human away instantly, bringing his blood-covered, clawed fingers up in front of him in a careless manner, the back of his hand facing her, giving a magnificent view of his natural weapons. "Mine," he announced in a throaty growl, making her shift on her feet, staring at him in confusion and dread.

Such an ugly scent, fear was on her.

Such a delicacy he wished to chase away…

Taking a deep inhale of her aroma, overlooking the cloud of death looming above, all fell silent as men continued with their fighting, approaching the distracted youkai, but never lasting more than a second. Slowly, the last of them dissipated, and she took a step backward, away from him, who still punched his way through the few lasting bodies, clawing and tearing at whatever blocked his path.

His.

_Mine._

Now, surrounded by corpses, the two gazed at each other, her with a look akin to horror, his bleated with lust. In a blur, she ran; on instinct, he chased. Echoes of demonic voices rang after him as they steered from the battlefield, an abandoned meadow, and into the dense forest, tangles of branches and vines. Her scent overpowered everything else; she, the mouse, was leaving a breadcrumb trail for him, the hawk, to follow with ease. He glided over all earth, rushed past every tree, nose picking up nothing but her lure.

_Her. _

All his.

Eventually, like every other weakling, a snap resonated through the thick shrubbery, and her screams scratched his ears. Calmly, unworried by her sharp breathing and whimpers, he slowed the pace, well aware of her blood blanketing his senses.

Broken ankle.

Always the broken ankle.

She struggled to her feet; that was expected, almost eminent. All humans thought they could bring strength together to solve the inevitably impossible, all assumed they could fix things easily, endure them with such feeble souls they had. She leaned against bark for support, holding her injury lightly with a frail hand. When she looked up, her eyes meeting his, he grinned ominously, revealing all fangs, sharp and lengthened with bloodlust—

With a promise for what was to come.

Immediately, she collapsed, her eyes closing as her movement and stance turned clumsy. A sickening smile grew across his face again, her submission evident and oh-so-satisfying to his current state of blood. He terrorized her, sent her heart pounding and nerves jumping, and he wasn't complaining. He was still the hunter of course, craving carnage, and she was his prey.

However, this was a much different game than the silly battles he fought often.

He would enjoy this game much, _much_ more.

_Mine. All mine. Not hers. _

"Inuyasha-sama!"

Ignoring the shouts of his allies behind him, the hunter's heart thudded, pulse hardening at the sight of the maiden in her sleep, her hair thrashed across the forest floor, eyes closed peacefully, mouth unhinged and body limped. He growled in acceptance of her condition, lifting her carelessly into his arms, a sense of possession clenching at his heart as he gazed down at her.

"Mine," he murmured in declaration, her body ragged while the other youkai's eyes widened in disbelief. His eyes lightened to pink, but his grip tightened all the more on the woman soldier in his arms, whose name, history, everything was a mystery, but whose scent calmed his very soul, whose appearance stirred the gates of his demon. He faintly recognized the nonthreatening presence of the beings behind him, carried them as no threat, but he snarled nonetheless when one took a step closer to what was his.

_MINE._

As his comrades led him back to their transportation systems, going through the substantially intimidating woods and publicly unkempt graveyard, he held the female to his chest, letting her legs hang limply over his arm, thinking only of her, who was his, who his demon recognized immediately, but confused his usual and human selves to no end.

In a soft, purring rumble, he addressed her unconscious form. "Mate."


	2. Red Awakening

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha, the title of this fic, or the idea of how to name the chapters; those either belong to Rumiko Takahashi or Salome Sensei.

**A/N: **Okay, this got _way_ more popular than I expected; thanks tons for the reviews. :) In addition, thank you to my beta-saviors out there: nightfalcon222 and Tomatosoup inc. Also, Inuyasha is _not_ full-demon in this story. In the summary, I say "his demon", implying he's hanyou. More will be explained this chapter. There will also be no rape—not even lusty rape—and the reason for Kagome being on the battlefield and who she is will be told in time.

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_**RED**_

_**2: Red Awakening**_

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Mixed with the hideously distasteful blood of the peasants on the battlefield, her scent strolled to him softly through the clotted air, drifting in a gentle caress to his hyperactive nerves and making him shiver with pleasure. Flowers—no, fruit—no, no, _rain_—she smelt of everything beautiful, that held meaning, things of which he knew could not exist beyond the walls of his castle. She smelt of what he could not have: Love. Friendship. Wisdom. _Heart._

Still his.

_All mine._

Her hair—smooth charcoal, it was, matted with some leaves and twigs he gently removed with his elongated claws, his red haze dimming within time. Her face—carved marvelously, slanted jaws with closed doe eyes and a small nose. Her lips—full, moist, curved, ready for him…

Her eyes—they stirred, and azure met a reddened gold in an embrace. Her breath caught in suspense, his teeth bared in impression.

Her—it was all her, nothing but her.

_Mine._

"W-who are you?" He stared down predatorily in reply to her shaky voice. "W-where am—" Glimpsing around the carriage, she paled before screaming, struggling in his grasp, "NO! _YOUKAI!_" His grip tightened on her painfully, and her voice dropped some. "Somebody! _You—_"

His ears flinched from her loud shrieks, and he felt himself begin to dissolve from her obvious panic. "Mate," he rumbled, pulling her closer, trying to calm her, get her to quiet and not distress him any longer. She stiffened, not daring to move in his hold, and he growled in approval. _Obedient mate,_ he thought simply, pulling her up enough to snuggle his face into her perfect-smelling hair. _Mine._ No one else's. Not hers. Not anyone's but his.

She was _his. _

_Mine._

She, who was sent by the gods to him in battle. She, who was now the definition of Heaven. She, who held top priority in his soul. She, who held his heart in an iron hold.

She, who would soon be all his.

_Mine—my mate._

Only his…

His claw traced the outline of her jaw, the only part of her skin besides her face and hands that was truly visible. The rest was covered in her soldier's uniform, the ratty thing, that he snarled in abhorrence at. "Mine," he murmured.

She froze. _"Yours?" _she snapped in obvious disgust, repulsed by the idea.

Rejection. His mate was against the idea of being his, not liking what she did not know was already true, had already been declared. _"Mine,"_ he snarled more demandingly into her hair, biting lightly at her scalp, making her go rigid and him purr in delight. He inhaled deeply, wanting every part of her, while the aroma drugging him further…

Further… Further… _Further…_

…_further…_

Further into the abyss, yet out to the light. Swallow him whole, but spit him out again. Blind him mostly, and restore colors once more. Further, further, _further—_

_No more red._

"Inuyasha-sama?"

He blinked, all demonic bloodlust draining from his system, an unusual warmth radiating tenderly in his arms while the familiar feeling of dried blood crinkled in the creases of his hands. It felt exactly as it did whenever he woke up after a red moon: groggy, tired, strangely calm, yet foreign to his surroundings. Meeting the beady eyes of his father's servant, he whispered roughly at last, "Yes?"

"The venom has worn off, I trust?" the old man continued, wary with his own words. The rest of the youkai waited in anticipating for an answer, evidently eager to start up a discussion without inadvertently bothering their superior while he was in an uncontrollable state.

Inuyasha blinked. _Venom, venom, venom—what's with the goddamn venom? _He sniffed once more, trembling in bliss. _And the smell of fear…and cherry blossoms. Lots of flowers, really. Fruit, too. _Forgetting about the venom, he breathed intensely, feeling something tickle his nose innocently, but overlooking the matter as he drowned in his new addiction. Letting out a soft exhale, he murmured lovingly, his claws brushing through something silky and soft, "Perfect smell of a woman…"

It wasn't until he felt something moving in his arms that he froze.

It wasn't until the scent of terror hit him full-blast did he realize—

_Oh, shit._

"Myouga-jiji?" he questioned, not daring to look down into his arms, already knowing what was there. "Why is there a wench with us?" Furrowing his black eyebrows some and refraining from gulping, he whispered, "What happened? What did I do…?"

And it wasn't until his ears flattened in pain did he notice she screamed.

"LET ME GO HOME, LET ME GO HOME, LET ME GO HOME—"

He growled softly, "Quiet, woman," and heard the sighs of the other youkai in the carriage. He chose to ignore them, pondering more on why he'd used such a tone with her. She was surely nothing to him, a mere stranger to his being, and yet there was a calling within his soul…

_Mine._

He blinked, for a moment, losing focus before she wandered back into his mind again, snapping for his attention. "Why did you take me?" she asked in an order, and he finally looked down harshly to glare at her, remind her of her place—below inu-youkai males, of course—when he caught sight of her face.

_Within the haze—he saw_ her. _Feminine form, wild raven hair, sakura and sweets, sapphire eyes—torn, scared, defenseless—_needing _him, calling out to him in soft whimpers…_

He blinked before whispering, "Shit." He'd seen her—and now she lay before him, no longer on the battleground, not joining her comrades in death. Unusual, yes, but a part of him told him that no, it should be this way—it was _meant _to be this way, there was no other choice but to take her away. And now, when he meant to glare at her, he could feel the sharp edges of his eyes soften, gazing down at her petite form in wonderment, not anger. _Why…?_

Myouga spoke up, and it was a faint grumbling to Inuyasha's ears as he took in her appearance—the one he'd memorized in the middle of battle, the one he thought he'd imagined. _Shit. Shit. Shit, shit, shit… _

"Inuyasha-hiko-sama's inner youkai has chosen you as his mate," Myouga informed her, and immediately the girl's face blanched, as did Inuyasha's.

_Shit a whole house._

The rest of the ride to the castle was spent in an uncomfortable silence, the girl too stunned to remove herself from Inuyasha's death grip, while he stared at nothing, lost in his own body. What was this feeling, to drown under gallons of water and never emerge, to take a sword to the gut? To bury himself in her cocoon of comfort, to choke on the tears she shed—?

_Tears._

She was crying because of him. Such a little observation, small occurrence, lodged a knife deep within his heart, twisting and tugging and tearing its jags through him until he suffocated on air. He held her closer within the dim light of their transportation system, wanting her to fill in the guilty void swallowing him whole. Whether he liked it or not, he was going to feel horrible for this, knowing he'd caused her pain with something he could not help.

Because mates were each other's halves, and he'd never let her return to this "home".

He was her home now. His youkai would make sure of it.


	3. Gold Vision

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own the title _Red_—that belongs to various authors' youkai!Inuyasha fics—nor the idea of how to name chapters, which I got from Salome Sensei.

**A/N: **Notice the color change—meaning this chapter will be mostly from the POV of someone who's related to the color _gold_. (Ah, you see my cleverness? xD) Thanks again to nightfalcon222and Tomatosoup inc.for beta-reading! :)

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_**RED**_

_**3: Gold Vision**_

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From her mold in his enclosed embrace to his rumbling, warm chest, her cobalt gems silently observed their surroundings, drinking in every view as if it were the most delectable wine. The slaves at work, youkai maidens taking their evening strolls, others partaking in spars and sanctions of sorts—everything seemed to amaze her. Her eyes gleamed with a factor akin to absorption, inclusive enthrallment, and upon noting her infinite interest in his castle, his haven, Inuyasha felt not only his reddened spirit relax, but his own sense of being as well.

His bitch was fascinated, and it pleased him to no end.

When they'd first arrived at the Inu no Taishou's Western Lands, she'd perked up, as if somehow knowing they'd reached their destination. Her behavior was to be expected when reaching such youki-infested lands, though with her eyes curious and stance surprised, it made winter melt in his heart. He'd refused to release her, to separate himself from her soothing warmth, when they unloaded from their cart, and though she wasn't pleased with this, after a few nips on the forehead, she relented. As far as first sights and his observations went, she wouldn't hate the castle as much as he initially thought—but the possibility was still so great, it sickened his stomach to imagine her displeasure towards his home.

No. Not his. No longer "his".

_Ours._

He inwardly relaxed at the thought, yet the feeling of accomplishment faded as his intellectual side, a more worthy conscience, reminded him of the night's turn of events for worse. Despite the newfound unity of his and her soul, he was displeased with having no choice in the matter—how he could not choose a mate out of his own will, but instead, have a calling make the decision for him. How a simple battle could have turned into something as vital as his mate's arrival eluded him.

Earlier on, when he'd been informed he was to be sent on yet another mission, he'd allowed himself to be injected with youkai venom that quickly stirred his human blood away, dragging his inner malice to the surface. He'd lied on his futon adorned with several throw pillows, awaiting the red moon to arrive and drive all of his senses away; as he transformed, Inuyasha recognized the building of his strength, the battering of his pulse, and buoyancy of his stomach before everything went scarlet. He never paid attention to the lives of loved ones being lost, but instead, the increase of thick plasma under his claws and shredding of flesh scraping his ears. Within his malevolent haze, he couldn't see anything over the drivel within his crimson vision.

It was why spotting her within the bloody fog was so unexpected.

He was a monster, a soulless beast, his only mission to kill and conquer his prey on the battlefield. Blood would partake in his pores, the melody of the night his roars, and red-covered tips being the only remains of his once clean claws. But, she…

She…

_Mate,_ every inch of his demonic spirit murmured, even with his inner human protesting his current predicament. No matter what Inuyasha wished or truly felt, _she_ was his destined, his intended, the woman sent to him by the gods above, a stranger who'd be the key to his heart and the bearer of his pups, only meant for him, not even herself.

And he was hers in return.

_I'm_ hers_._

_She's_ mine_._

Already, the truth was undeniably clear, and he could accept it with little ease.

_We are…_

Almost unconsciously, her hand rested upon his pectoral, her touch light, yet making heat pool in his core, nonetheless. Mere skin-to-skin contact—it ignited his soul, filled whatever voids once existed, almost felt as if it was awakening him.

His mate—clueless to everything, she was, in fear of what she could not comprehend or suspect. She could not accept the truth, see the finality of the situation, for she did not understand fate, prophecies, mating, inu-youkai…

She would not know of the life awaiting her within the gates of the red castle.

**l~l*l~l*l~l*l~l**

He navigated through the courtyard swiftly, though much aware of the stares he received. Everyone on the demon-polluted territory knew she was human from her scent and pure aura; they may have not been informed of the circumstances, but all believed no good could come out of a mortal's presence in their domain.

Humans were treacherous imps, vile creatures no youkai would hesitate slaughtering. Their blood was the holy water of the terrain, each spill slowly cleansing the earth of their existence and betrayal. Their relatives were the ground beneath a demon's feet, their heads best on a wall than their pathetic excuse for bodies. Of course, this was a common belief amongst the remaining demons of the lands, yet due to the presence of the Inu no Taishou's mate Izayoi, the thoughts were never expressed openly.

Inuyasha, however, wore no blindfold, and saw the looks of disgust his mate received from fatefully lackadaisical demons. Burgundy tinged his eyesight for the quickest moment before she shifted in his arms, struggling to get out. He stared down at her in disapproval, glancing to her swollen ankle, and meeting her eyes to draw out a message—

One which she seemed to refuse.

She—_her_…

His human questioned why he should even _care _for _her_.

Quickening his pace, feeling his muscles tense with every stray movement, he passed the fields within the Western gates before reaching the castle's barrier, a demonic gate that made her shiver in his hold. He unconsciously tapped her bicep consolingly before busting through, overlooking the startled gasps of the guards and youkai behind him. Instead, his honeyed gaze met one consumed half by an eye patch.

"Kaede-baba," he barked sternly, pace coming to a stop as he approached her, one of the human slaves of the residence. Usually youkai would never allow a miko on their grounds, but the Inu no Taishou found her to be a magnificent healer and help to his mother, a woman who always longed for feminine company. "She needs treatment." Roughly, Inuyasha shook his unnamed mate's leg gently as to avoid causing her pain before staring at the aged priestess with authoritative eyes, hoping they radiated with power instead of need.

He felt he should—no, that he _must _make sure the girl soldier receive medical assistance, and be in good health again. It was a spiritual obligation, a responsibility put into heart, wanting to see her well. Unfortunately, he was sure his life would end if she were to suffer any more, her tiny winces similar to jagged swords tumbling in his chest. He did not wish to care for her this much, to feel such a strong connection instantaneously, and yet there it existed, an eternal source of light, like midnight flames on the new moon…

In spite of his imploring gape, however, the old woman remained unfazed. "Who is this girl?" she insisted instead, abusing her familiarity with Lady Izayoi as she addressed him in with such a demanding tone. He instinctively growled precariously in warning, and she luckily heeded the gesture with wary eyes, though still approached the girl whose eyes shined with relief. Inuyasha wondered shortly if she was glad for Kaede's presence, if she felt uncomfortable around him, or if she was grateful to see a familiar species. Regardless of his previous arguments towards the situation, his eyes narrowed at the thought of her fearing him whereas the mature miko inspected the anxious girl, asking questions he'd not been listening to.

"Family" is all he caught amongst their whispers, leaving Inuyasha in the dark as his mate nodded slowly, making the woman sigh. "Come, child," she commanded softly, extending a feeble hand that was immediately smacked away by one with claws.

A vision surpassed: animalistic hooks stretching out, muscles tensing, impaling the miko's mid-torso, leaving her coughing thickened blood. A flick of his fingers snapping her spinal cord, sending her still, and a quick poke puncturing her lugs, making her gasps useless, and the sounds of her pain would stimulate his sense to no end. Fling her aside, the old ragged hag, rip out her final eye, and show her what it really means to fear the unknown with a single fist to the face, leaving her corpse with no identity—

_Relax._

Blinking away the images of a hunt, Inuyasha's chest rumbled strongly, red tingeing his vision once more as another threat neared his territory. How _dare_ the hag touch what was his? Ignoring his own shock towards his unexplainably selfish yen and the way his mate stiffened in his arms, alarm simmering her aroma, he resisted the urge to claim and mark her in declaration of his tenure. _MINE_, he thought brazenly, his youkai calling forth, yet being repressed as her fearful scent pinched his nose, calming his spiteful blood.

Unmoved by his vigilant behavior, Kaede met the glower of her superior, whose chest rose and fell heavily, as if ready to slaughter someone, and she raised a brow. "Ye vision is tainted red," she informed him offhandedly. Had the venom yet not worn off? Hadn't it? "Did ye not wish for her to seek treatment after all, Inuyasha?" she continued to question casually, a wise glint in her residual eye.

His pair turned into slits at the informal title, but he didn't comment. "She's off-limits," he hesitantly announced in a decisive tone, ignoring the now angrily heated face of his mate. "I stay with her, baba." Kaede gazed at him, and the hidden message was clear:

_It's either my company, or your life._

The priestess acknowledged his reply warily before nodding in surrender and leading them to the infirmary. Inuyasha followed her circumspectly, glancing down at the beauty in his arms, who trembled every so often out of confusion, apprehension, and discomfort. Adjusting her for her own comfort as they journeyed into the main castle, he briefly pondered on the true reason for her position against his chest instead of innocently resting on his back, why his grip on her would only tighten, never loosen. His mind wandered from the topic as he considered what it would be like to spend an eternity with her, she who remained a mystery to him, as he was to her. _Infinity—with her…_

He didn't marvel on the topic long, for one moment of eye contact with her sapphires and his heart skipping a beat at the raw emotions displayed in them told him everything he needed to know:

He'd never let her go.

_Mine._

Forever his…

And both she and he lacked total choice in the matter.


	4. Gold Light

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own the title _Red_—that belongs to various authors' youkai!Inuyasha fics—nor the idea of how to name chapters, which I got from Salome Sensei.

**A/N: **I thank the awesome nightfalcon222 and Tomatosoup inc. again for beta-reading this story we all enjoy so much. :) Also, for those that don't know, an "Inugami" is a dog god in Japanese folklore. In this story, it is plural and the equivalent to human Shinto followers' "Kami" for inu-youkai, and may or may not be the believed origins of the feudal era's current inu-youkai (meaning their ancestors, who are treated as gods by the Japanese).

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_**RED**_

_**4: Gold Light**_

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His leg kept fidgeting, springing rapidly while his hands yearned to tuck themselves into his absent suikan sleeves, the only garment left behind at the castle before his battle, for an inner sense of comfort—to feel complete and find some sort of substitute for her not being in reach. His distracted, sunlit gaze focused on the old hag's hands wrapping various bandages around his mate's ankle, taking note of her actions and methods for future treatment—all of which he would be performing. White cloth tied into a knot applied pressure to the abused joint whereas strands of thick wool were used to thicken its binding, better heal the broken bones. She winced often, biting her luscious lips, driving him insane with lust of two kinds—one a helpless desire for her, and the other the urge to shed Kaede's blood for causing his mate harm.

_His mate._ She was no one else's but _his_, and what an astonishing feeling that was…

Everything within him craved for her—his bones shook for her atypical touch, his nostrils seeking nothing but her arousing aroma, his skin tingling for the feel of her silky hair. If not for their bond, her body would've been mangled, pale, sickly with blood loss and twisted with a gruesome expression. It occurred to him a few times that yes, he'd saved an outsider and brought her to their lair, undecidedly on the night of his family's absence. He also understood, however, that his demonic tendencies would not deal with his humane resistance, and would remain in charge of her destiny—something which would hopefully be eternal.

He'd never been promised someone before. He knew he could have been one of the lucky few who could distinguish their soul mate from a common whore, but never had he thought…

_All mine._

After his youkai called forth two times during her treatment, he squelched any intent hostility in his nerves, focusing on the tiles below instead. The hag wouldn't have had to assist his mate had he not chased and caused her to fall. Of course, the beast within him did not regret tearing her away from the vial world outside their castle walls, but his mate being harmed in the process?

It made him bite down on his lip in shame.

It was unacceptable in each of his nerve, uncalled for and selfish. There was not one word existing to describe the monster eating his insides, stabbing at his stomach and demanding vengeance. Leisurely bruising his heart, the guilt took sadistic satisfaction in his emotional hurt as he came to the painful understanding that harming her was punishment in itself, yet felt as if it was too little a price to pay for cracking such a wondrous jewel.

Wretched, he was, for showing even the slightest of flaws in the presence of mortals, and mortal _women_ at that. All traces of red venom were gone, the blood dried under his claws, his forehead furrowed into a deep frown as he mused the situation laid out before him by the Inugami, those who tied a red string of fate between him and this beautiful stranger.

_Red string…_ His eyes closed, relishing in the thought. What would it feel like to have her in his arms every day for the rest of his nearly immortal life? Though he didn't know her well, would he ever know her at all? _I don't even know her fucking name,_ he realized with a shake of his silver-locked skull.

She'd rarely spoken, too, he noticed; only in her defense, looking for an escape during their journey to the Western Lands, and to Kaede had her mouth parted and released harmonious song. Fire shown in her eyes, despite the slight sloops of her cheekbones, eye sockets, and jaw, all of which made him question where she came from. A blazing aura was contained within her, fading as they blew air on her, restricting her movements. _Yes,_ he realized: she was upset when he held her life in his hands, and not for the usual reasons, either. This human seemed independent and strong, a straw compared to a pearl in mate terms.

Mates were to be submissive. Despite appearances thus far, Inuyasha couldn't be fooled.

She did not love him automatically as most mates did; it shown in her navy orbs as she stared back at him now, eyes bluntly questioning his reasons and her purpose. He could not read her as well as kanji or even comprehend her sighing and looking back to Kaede, whose whispers he paid no mind to. Thus far, he could perceive her behavior to be that of a true soldier, a healed and spirited individual on the inside yet ready to give it their all and never stop. However, Inuyasha felt as if this was not the case, that there was some key detail he was without. Had it occurred while the red moon still hung in the darkening sky, or—?

"Why?"

Her soft voice caressed his ears for the first time, much different than its rougher, brash counterpart, chasing all of his musings away like the troublesome demons they were. His gaze lifted from the tiles to her sincere face radiating with emotions he'd never witnessed before—not on anyone but his mother's own expression, that was. "Why?" he echoed, the word seemingly foreign to his lips. What was she asking of him? he wondered, eyes narrowing as they took in her still ruffled appearance with a torn warrior's kimono, cuts apparent with the garb bare of armor. He grimaced some at the state those mindless humans sent her into battle with, but drifted his attention to her lips, which murmured words he'd almost missed.

"Why did you spare me?" Her voice had dropped a few octaves, as if expecting—what? An outraged cry and twist of the limbs? Growling and removal of the eyeballs and tongue? Blackness to overcome her as he struck her ruthlessly…?

His frown deepened.

_Never._

Topaz met sapphire in a sharply cut hold, and from the honest curiosity—_need_ to know—shining through, Inuyasha nearly fell off his cliff of security and authority, almost allowed himself to be subjected into obeying each of her commands, catering to her every whim. For a small moment, as her crystal orbs elevated with stressed fatigue and determined trauma, his muscles nearly escorted her to the bloodshed outside of the youkai haven, almost set her free from the chains bound to him by fate.

_Nearly. Almost._

But not quite.

"Why?" He blinked, the rise in her tone evident and most definitely problematic. Her eyes burned with aggravation as she snapped, "Why did you take me away? Huh? Are you heartless or something, because you didn't look bothered even taking young Hojo-san's life!"

He glowered at her, his torso rumbling in warning. _Heartless?_ his mind echoed fragilely, the words carving further into his heart than he ever wished or she intended. "I could care less," he admitted curtly, his demon idly pondering the cause for her outburst. She dared not take chances and step boundaries while she was unaware of their limits.

Yet from the life alight in her eyes, Inuyasha realized she could care less as well.

Scrambling his conscience for ways to calm his mate, help her adjust to her surroundings, he stared back at her fearlessly, making sure his dominance raged within his gaze. Despite his demonic neighbors, he'd learned many manners from his regal mother, a human who'd once defied the laws of mating and time, and did so to this day. "My name"—_breathe steadily, ignore her tangible scent_—"is Inuyasha, though I think enough of the assholes here have already said it."

She didn't change her frustratingly angered visage.

"Well?" he snapped, his impatience wearing thin as a balding man's hair, easily cut and tugged out of its frame. "You gonna tell me yours or not?"

Azure clouds struck flared lightning at him, colder yet more heated than she had been during the past few moments. "You're holding me _captive_," she hissed, "and you expect me to give you _my_ name? What in Kami's _name_ makes me so important that you should care?"

Captive? _Captive? _He inwardly snarled at the thought of keeping her _captive. _She was his mate, she was home now, and all she could think was that she was forced into being here, as if the castle had emerged from the hells themselves? Why did her implied rejection and rebellion twist that damned knife deeper into his heart, puncturing his very being and leaving him bleeding below her, open to anything she threw at him, and taking it willing because of this enormous guilt for discomfiting her…?

Did she find his suffering enjoyable? Could she not see the impact and pure fury she was unleashing upon his tattered yet conjoined soul? Though he insisted he shouldn't care, that he _didn't _care, a lone leaf ruffled through the breezes of his mind:

Did she hate him?

The hanyou's eyes widened as he recalled one more detail once again: she was unaware of mating, did not know of its signs most likely, was clueless to her sealed fate the instant she stepped out onto that battlefield. Something lodged in his throat—his heart, maybe, due to the fierce pounding he felt leave his torso—and his fang scraped against some of his gum, wondering, just _wondering_ how someone should tell their not-yet-loved beloved that their prison was their home all along, and that the captor, the hunter, wasn't using or overlooking her…

That in spite of his lack of choice in this matter, he didn't hate her?

"Inuyasha-hiko-sama…"

He turned angry eyes to the flea behind him whose knees buckled from fright and spine stiffened in precaution. Of all times he had to be interrupted as the moment his mate needed his attention most, the time they needed to sort things out from their apparent tangles of curiosity? _How bothersome._

Overlooking the tick of Inuyasha's fingers' crave for anguish, Myouga continued unwillingly, "Pardon me, milord, but there seems to be another death within the castle."


	5. Important AN: I'm not quitting

**This is a very important author's note. **I'm posting this to all my ongoing stories that haven't been updated for about a year now, and I suggest you don't ignore it.

I haven't updated in forever; I'm well-aware of this, but unlike most authors, I'm adamant against using A/N chapters in stories - I hate them with a passion, which is why I only use my profile to say I'm busy and so and so and will not be updating anytime soon. My procrastination habits are hard to overcome, but to be honest, overall this past year, I've gotten lazy, and I'm sorry. However, one reviewer as of recently thought the section on my profile stating my withdrawal from fanfiction was permanent, that I'd never go back to it. Or maybe he/she thought I was going to be like another popular author, KeiChanz (who's one of my faves, by the way), and rarely update. He/she suggested I either cancel my stories or hand them off to others, but you know what?

Fuck that. I'm not letting someone else continue my stories, and I'm sure as hell not going to cancel them and make you go "Y U NO FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED?" I am finishing these, but due to the changes in my life, on my own time. I'm a determined person who starts new projects with admirable gusto, and then leaves them to rot. I don't want to do that to you, though - and I figured since me not informing you of this bothered the reader so much, I'd better just tell you about it now rather than wait for you to wander to my profile. It goes against my beliefs of not using A/Ns as chapters, making me a hypocrite, but seriously - if it bothers the reader that much, I'm here to tell you right now, wait for me if you can. I'm deeply sorry for not being able to work on these every day or write with passion like I used to, but I'm trying to undergo a deeper self-discovery.

Through writing, I escaped my life and remained evasive to my problems - and now, without it, I will face things head on; I will become the person I want to be. And I still write - just random things, like poems, or little vignettes of my time with others. But if I continue to make fanfiction the center of my life, I will never live and be happy. I will eventually balance things out to where I want be with those I care for constantly and be able to involve myself in another world and write, but for right now, I need a big break from FFN. One where I don't reply to messages or reviews and I get out there and live the one life I have.

I will never quit fanfiction. It's fun, it's helped me out of a deep depression, and it's assisted me in discovering who I am. I've made a lot of friends and found out new things, and I will never quit it. I will update, I will finish my current stories, and guess what? I _will _post new stories as well. However, I'm focusing on getting a life right now because I'm in high school, have been single my whole life, and added to this, have much to experience. I want to live, love, and learn to make writing my passion, not my unnoticeable escape. But seriously - I won't quit. Whether I be a modern-day nomad or living with my husband when I'm older, I'll still be on here, still talking to you and learning more. For more information on my writing and updating, you can always check out my profile, but really?

I'm tired of running. I want to live my life. And, when my life gets to where I want it to be, updates will become more frequent instead of every few months. Wouldn't that be beautiful? Oh, and I apologize again for not updating, but understand that my overall happiness is at stake here. Writing isn't my main focus in life - teaching is now - but I plan to still do it since it's always been an outlet for me. I'm just trying to stop escaping my life by making writing my main focus, you know? If you don't like this new occurrence and want to punch me in the face for this false update (I would), I understand. If you're the same as the last sentence, but are still willing to give me yet another chance to redeem myself, much thanks.

Remember: I will never quit. Quitting is for pussies, which I am not, and to become a stronger person, I need to stick with what I start. I'm not mad at this reviewer - this was rather eye-opening - but to say the least, I feel like the shittiest person alive for all I've done to my dedicated readers and the people in my life. I've been selfish; it's unforgivable, but I will still always apologize. Thank you for reading, and I hope you don't mind waiting. (You probably will, but that's what your father's rifle is for.)

Sincerely, purduepup - aka, Morgan Williams


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